Laney amps are known for their exceptional tone. World renowned musicians such as Tony Iommi have chosen Laney amplifiers.
This range offers FET and tube emulations for reliable solid-state playback with the weight, dynamic, and grit of tube amps – making this range an excellent option for bass players looking to go loud!
1. Valve Amplifiers
Valves amplifiers are electronic amplifiers that use vacuum tubes to increase signal amplitude or power, making them industry standards for guitar amplifiers due to their unique “tone”. Tone refers to the overall timbre or pitch colour produced by musical instruments; though subjective in its quality, most musicians agree that tube amps produce more pleasing sounds than solid-state amps.
At the core of every valve amplifier lies its power amp stage, where magic happens. Here lies one of the biggest differences between solid-state amps and their tube counterparts; different valve types work differently when heated; in a tube amp’s power circuit, electrons pass from cathode to anode when heated before continuing their journey into other elements and producing natural distortion beloved by guitarists.
As electrons pass through the cathode, they create a magnetic field which in turn charges up the grid component to increase positively-charged potential, drawing more electrons from an anode and starting another cycle of distortion that guitarists love so much. Your playing style determines this distortion’s level – hitting hard on a string will drive it towards crackling; playing more subdued will keep it cleaner and under better control. This gives tube amps their characteristic tone – hitting hard will drive more distortion to emerge; playing soft will result in cleaner sounds without as much break up occurring whereas hitting harder will drive more distortion into becoming overblown chaos!
No matter the genre of bass music, whether its classics like Laney’s RB series that provides ample headroom and reliability for every gig or the more classic sound of Digbeth bass amplifiers – we have something suitable for every bassist! Additionally, Laney LA Studio range fuses tube amp sonic characteristics with digital reliability for reliable performances live and in recordings; opening up an abundance of tones suitable for both live performances as well as studio recordings.
Many players will find additional built-in functionality such as multiple EQ settings, aux-in/headphone-in ports or even recording directly into their DAW to be extremely beneficial when choosing solid-state bass amps for session musicians; these features make these amps excellent workhorses that can be an alternative to pedalboards.
2. Tube Amplifiers
No matter your desired tone or aesthetic, Laney bass amplifiers offer something perfect. Their Digbeth series combines tube amp technology with solid state technology for the best of both worlds – creating a high-powered and versatile amp that’s great for studio and live applications alike.
An advantage of tube amplifiers lies in their natural overdrive and harmonic distortion capabilities, giving your sound an increasingly fuller character. This is particularly effective for genres such as blues and classic rock where an expansive tonal quality is often desired. On the other hand, solid-state amps offer more transparent and analytical tones suited to players looking to experience their instrument and music unaffected by any additional coloring or distortion.
An amplifier tube works by passing an electrical signal through a glass vacuum tube similar to what light bulbs use; when electricity passes through it, heat is generated which causes negative charged electrons from the cathode to flow towards a plate with positive charge which attracts them – creating a magnetic field which then amplifies sound waves.
Electric guitarists do not expect their amplifiers to provide a perfectly clear sound – rather, they want an amp that adds some tonal coloration, something only tube amps are capable of providing effectively. As such, many professional and hobbyist bass players opt for tube amplifiers.
As with any technology, tube bass amplifiers come with some disadvantages. They may be heavier to transport than solid-state models and their tubes will wear out eventually (similar to changing your bass strings), plus due to all their hard work they may become quite noisy when being pushed hard – although these drawbacks should only be considered minor when considering all their advantages over time.
3. Powered Amplifiers
Lyndon Laney recognized a gap in the market for quality amplifiers that musicians could trust during the British rock scene of the ’60s, so he established his own company to meet it and produce amplifiers that have since helped define generations of guitar and bass players worldwide.
Laney bass amplifiers typically employ tubes, but the company also provides solid-state options such as its LC series which offer numerous tonal choices and features like Laney Smart Insert (LSI), an external speaker socket and high-pass filtering capability. The LC15R model in particular makes an excellent choice for players seeking tube amplifier versatility in a more portable package.
Digbeth series by Fender redefines vintage tone through modern functionality and British design and engineering, offering compact 200-watt and 500-watt heads and combos, floor based preamp pedal, as well as offering the same great tone as their flagship models in more portable packages. The company is offering its new Digbeth series as an entry into this space; featuring 200W, 500W, combo and preamp models to meet various budget needs and deliver amazing sound.
Laney amplifiers offer pure valve gain as well as modern clean tones for any of your music-making needs. One popular example is the Lionheart LA100SM, an amp that’s best known for capturing Tony Iommi and Black Sabbath’s distinctive sounds. Known for its combination of chiming clean tones and mind-bending overdrive, this amp has become a go-to amp among many hard rock/doom metal players but also finds favor among stoner rockers and blues guitarists alike.
The LC15R is an excellent option for bassists seeking both flexibility and power in a lightweight portable package. This 50-watt two-channel amp features Clean and Drive channels with individual EQ controls to customize your sound; Tilt controls add mid to high frequencies when turned clockwise while Shape switches provide general EQ shaping capabilities. Easy to use, lightweight and with impressively high output for its size!
4. Smart Amplifiers
Laney may not be top of mind as an amplifier brand, but this UK-based manufacturer has long been powering many of the world’s finest bands and artists for nearly half a century. Laney also plays an essential role in pro audio systems capable of filling even large arenas, providing large PA systems as solutions.
Established in 1967, Fender amps and speaker cabinets are well-renowned for producing an expansive spectrum of tones for guitar or bass players of any skill level. Ranging from single channel clean designs that provide chiming sounds to powerful overdrive channels – these amps cater for players of every ability level and feature built-in digital reverb and delay for creating expansive sounds.
Laney believes an amplifier must be more than just a box with switches and knobs; that’s why they test each tube, chassis, and transformer individually throughout their production process. Each amp also bears an engineer-produced green sticker bearing his initials and date of construction to verify its components meet our stringent quality standards.
As might be expected from a British manufacturer, this company provides amps and cabinets that boast great versatility in terms of tone control. This enables true tonal flexibility that suits all styles of playing from slappers/tappers who forgo digital bass sounds to those looking to explore various melodic styles simultaneously.
For instance, the Laney LA-Studio amp is an easy and cost-effective way to amp up to 200 watts using either a 4×12 cabinet or two 10″ cabinets. Furthermore, its 3.5mm jack allows users to connect smart devices running bass tone-generating apps allowing for even further exploration through digital amplification.
Advanced options of this amplifier include three-band EQ for tonal shaping, shape control that changes your amp from warm and smooth to aggressive and punchy, reverb and delay sections, selector switches with six preset cab emulations profiles (with room for future expansion) as well as selector switches with six preset cab emulations profiles (plus room for further expansion). All this makes creating versatile bass tones on any stage or setting easily while still offering plenty of tonal choices.